Fifa 11 versus Pro Evolution Soccer 2011

The two biggest football franchises in gaming – EA'S Fifa and Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) – have been going head-to head for more than a decade. Each, appropriately for the genre, generates fierce rivalry among fans dedicated to supporting their chosen title. So, as the two face off once again, which has the edge this year?

After years of lacklustre Fifa releases, EA rediscovered its form two seasons ago with a new look and feel. We got exquisite ball control, realistic player movements and challenging, but convincing, computer opposition – a deadly combination with its licence from the organising body, which gives it all the rights to real player names, tournaments and stadiums.

With Fifa 11 (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, cert: 3, out now), the adjustments have become more subtle, fine-tuning the gameplay to feel substantially more physical, both when fending off defenders or competing for the ball. It also moves away from summer's World Cup edition, which made it far too easy to score. The play is more balanced, sending crisp passes across the turf feels more deliberate, allowing you to build up moves before delivering through balls. Heading, a skill never quite mastered in previous versions, is more controllable, making tall and powerful players essential. Shooting is also more realistic with drives from outside the area harder to keep down while retaining power and placement – emphasising skill, timing and precision. This makes scoring more satisfying and goal celebrations all the more acrobatic.

In multiplayer mode the football comes to life. EA's global enterprise is showcased by the stability of its online network, which rarely falters when playing one-on-one or, during the new 11-a-side matches, as your chosen player. To which has been added the chance to play in goal – an engaging role requiring quick reactions and an eye for the flow of the game. To the football gaming veteran, these improvements are both important and successful; it's undoubtedly the best Fifa to date. But no reason to write off Konami just yet …

PES 2011 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, cert: 3, out Friday) feels like a long lost friend: familiar, but different – eager to win back fans. The new clean-looking menus and the exhaustive management selection options are an immediate improvement; a far cry from the garish screens from last year. But it's on the pitch that PES shines. PES10 was virtually unplayable, with frustrating player movement and hopeless ball control, yet the entirely new player modelling and movement system, rebuilt having asked fans for their ideas, feels both responsive and reassuring – faithful to the PES of old.

Players not used to Konami's title may struggle initially to make the game flow, due to the uncompromising sensitivity of the "total control" 360-degree movement system and power gauge, which offers negligible auto-assist. Errant passes are frequent, by over- or under-hitting the ball, while movement of your player and teammates can feel almost too precise and mechanical. This may offer better player control, allowing dribbling past defenders with ease, but can leave you out of position and looks unconvincing next to Fifa's seamless choreography. Defender AI has improved though, with improved player physics to enable jostling, blocking and deflections to give the game an unpredictable realism.

This blends well with the truly awesome experience of thunderous shots rifled in from 30 yards – moments unrivalled by Fifa – and the effortlessly cool tricks, feints and skills that make up for Konami's restricted licensing. But the sketchy online experience and occasion graphical glitch remain an irritation.

At the end of the day, it's a close call, so perhaps the question is: which will you still be playing in six months time? An edge that has to go to Fifa (see below) but PES is a vast improvement, which bodes well for a franchise that only recently looked like it was on its way out. The rivalry continues and football fans, who know a thing or two about that, are all the richer for it.